Johannesburg – A group of five people aged between 27 and 44 were arrested and appeared in the Durban Commercial Crimes Court for fraud of over R380 000, police said on Friday.
South African Police Services spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbele said the group appeared in court on Thursday.
“This week, detectives from the provincial task team arrested five suspects aged between 27 and 44 for fraud. They appeared in the Durban Commercial [Crimes] Court on 18 October 2018 and they were remanded in custody until 26 October 2018 for bail application.”
Mbele said the arrests emanated from fraudulent activities that were conducted against a company in Prospecton from July to September 2018.
“It is alleged that a company employee who was employed as a payroll administrator changed the banking details of off-duty employees and put the details of her ‘beneficiaries’ for payment purposes.”
Mbele said salaries were paid into the bank accounts she had put on the off-duty employees names, and she managed to fraudulently benefit from the company at the expense of others.
“Her relatives also benefited by receiving salaries for more than two months from a company that they did not work for.”
Police said when the fraud was discovered, a case was opened at the Isipingo police station.
“More than R380 000 was stolen through these transactions. More arrests are imminent as the police investigation is continuing.”